sports WILLMAR — So it ends for one team.
But for another, it feels like a new beginning.
One of Willmar’s most exciting basketball teams prematurely crashed and burned in the Section 2AAA quarterfinals on Tuesday night to a Worthington Trojans team that caught fire in the second half.
The Cardinals...
Worthington, 56187

Worthington Minnesota 300 11th Street / P.O. Box 639 56187

2014-02-26 00:23:20

WILLMAR — So it ends for one team.

But for another, it feels like a new beginning.

One of Willmar’s most exciting basketball teams prematurely crashed and burned in the Section 2AAA quarterfinals on Tuesday night to a Worthington Trojans team that caught fire in the second half.

Advertisement

Advertisement

The Cardinals bolted to a 49-37 lead by half but the underdog Trojans emerged in the second half to post 55 second-half points and boot the home team from the post-season, 92-88.

“We just haven’t been good at finishing before tonight,” said senior guard Spencer Grafing, whose 25 second-half points and clutch free throws were instrumental in the comeback. “We’ve lost a lot of games by less than 10 points.”

That included an 84-76 loss to the Cards on Jan. 25, at Worthington.

“If we took them lightly, we shouldn’t have,” said Willmar coach Steve Grove. “They challenged us the first time.”

Willmar was on fire the first half, especially Dylan Schueler, first off the bench all season. The senior forward had eight field goals, perhaps four of those from just inside the arc.

The Cards started fast in the second half, too, then tailed off as their shooting cooled, including missing two breakaway lay-ups. The Trojans tied it 60-60 at 10:45 on a pair of free throws by Marcus Potter and got their first lead at 9:30, 65-64, on a 3-pointer by Grafing who finished with 30 points.

Worthington went up 78-72 on a three-point play by Potter which he followed with two free throws at 2:38.

Willmar fired back. Tyler Stegeman and Kyler Johnson each hit a three and Willmar got within a basket of the lead. But 6-foot-4 forward Will Mulder got a piece of Stegeman’s corner shot with 15 seconds left for the tie and Worthington rebounded.

Grafing kept the Trojans in front with his free throw accuracy, making 11 of 12, most of those late in the second half.